Rail clamp



A. KALL'io. RM1. CLAMP Jam. 29 X923.

FILED JUNE 28. 1922.

VLH T/lllllilVAH/IJnM.

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nieve rientro, or woncnsrnri, i

Application filed ,Tune 28,

To @ZZ yw/lom t may; concern h Be it lznown that l, inve listinoj a citizen of Vthe Republic ot TFinland, residing` at il/voieester. in the county of lo/rcester find State ot Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Rail Clamp, of which the following is a specitication.

rllhis invention relates to a clamp adapted tor use in securing a rail to a tie in a railway road bed. lit is customary to secure the rails by means of spikes driven directly into the ties at both edges of the rail. This method ot holding the rail leaves it in direct contact with the tie, subjecting the latter to excessive wear and requiring frequent replacement thereof. The driving and removal ot the spikes also involves severe manual labor.

lt is the object ot' my invention to provide a rail clamp so constituted that it may be easily applied or removed and that it will also serve as wearingplate between the rail and the tie 'when in use.

A further object of my invention is to provi le a clamp which may be conveniently and cheaply constructed from a single piece ot heavy sheet metal entirely by press operations.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which 1 is a perspective View ot my iinproved rail clamp in use;

Fig. i), is a plan view ot the blank before the clump is bent to the shape in which it is used;

Fig. is a plan View illustratingv the 'way in which the clamp is applied to a rail, and

Fig. lis an end elevation of the clamp in use.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a rail clamp adapted to be formed from a sin- 'le fiat piece oit heavy sheet metal. This lamp comprises an upper body portion 10, end portion 11 and a bottom portion 12. The end portion 11 preferably has a recess or one ing 13 which materially reduces the i ei. 'lt or" the clamp and the bottom portion j reiierably formed with two legs spaced t by a relatively wide recess 14. A pair 15 may be formed in the end 11, into the recess 13 as shown in liugs or projections 16 extend 'from 1922. serial no. 57i/les.

the outer end et the upper oppositely disposed hooks and 18 are formed at each side of the p tion 10. rllhe hook 17 projects from the outer edge oi' the upper portion 10 while the hoolr 18 projects 'trom the upper edge oil the end portion 11.

After the blank thus formed, the end 11 and bottom 1.2 are bent at right angles along the broken lines c, Z), (Fi 2) and the prongs or spurs 15 are also loent at right angles? as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4l, so that they may be driven into the side of the tie. The hook 17 is also bent upward to a right angle with the portion 10, and the hook 18 assumes a similar position from its attachment to the end 11.

llhen in this position, the hooks 1'? and 18 are sufficiently separated diagonally so that the clamp may loe slipped over the base or flange ot the rail when turned to a diagonal position with reference thereto.

ln the use o'f my improved deviceg the clamp is slipped diagonally over the rail as above described and is then moved up against the tie, enclosing the same on the top and bottoni sides as shown in Fig. ft. The clamp is then hammered or otherwise forced against the side of the tie to seat the spurs 15 therein, preventing movement of the clamp longitudinally of the tie. The projections 1G are then bent downward as indicated in Fig. t to hold the clamp securely in position.

It will thus appear that l have provided a clamp which may be easily/f and quickly placed in position and which provides a brosch flat, wearing surface 10 upon which the rail may rest, thus protecting the tie troni the weer caused by n'ioveinent ot the rail and greatly prolonging the lite ot the tie.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, l do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims.. but what I claim is 1. A clamp for securing a rail to a tie comprising a flat upper plate having bendable locking lugs, oppositely disposed rail-engag ing hooks adjacent the edges ot said upper plate, and means adapted to extend along one side and the bottom orp the tie to prevent displacement oi the clamp.

2. A clamp for securing a rail to a tie coniprising a ilat upper plate, means to secure a rail theretm a side plate havingjf; an opeiiingand having positioning spurs extending` inportion 10 and Oil wardly from thek edges of said opening, and ineens to prevent upward or transverse displacement o said olzunp.

3. A rail olainp formed from a single peoe of sheet metal and comprising a body having top7 side and bottom portions, rail-engaging projections on said top portion, and means to secure said body to o, tie', said body also having integral spurs formed thereon in theside portion thereof to prevent disl0 placement of said clamp longitudinally 'of the tie.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed vmy signature.

AEVO KALLO. 

